A small hallway that smoothly turns into a narrow corridor requires special arrangement and design. Such an area should include small but roomy furniture and have a precisely consistent interior style. Following these rules will help you easily create a comfortable environment and easily choose a small hallway for the corridor. Owners can find suitable modules or individual elements among ordinary and designer products or popular Ikea models. You can also make non-standard hallways with your own hands or order them from a furniture manufacturer. To do this, you will need to determine the exact dimensions for each element of the headset and select the best materials for manufacturing. It would also be useful to select models for a specific style: this will help the owners to arrange the hallway-corridor much faster.
Features of layout and stylistic direction
For a compact and convenient arrangement of a tiny corridor, it is recommended to build furniture into the walls or existing niches. The absence of wall recesses will lead to the need to select models with insignificant depth and arrange them under one wall or in a checkerboard pattern (to preserve the passage). The layout must certainly take into account the location of the entrance and the opening angle of the doors to the rooms. As for the optimal style options used for small corridors, these include:
Classical | A universal solution in warm and light colors emphasizes the comfort of living. |
Urban | Pastel and gray tones of the style will ensure minimal clutter in the hallway-hallway space. |
Provence | Predominant light colors and minimal patterns in this direction will help you easily arrange even a tiny corridor. |
Loft | It will highlight the unusualness of the home’s interior and the hospitality of the owners themselves. |
High-tech and modern | The laconicism of the styles will allow you to decorate the interior of any corridor in a modern and discreet manner. |
What furniture is needed in the hallway
We are talking about small hallways or corridors. There is a section of the wall where you can put something, maybe only a meter or so wide. If this is your option, you need a mini hallway. A coat rack with a small bedside table and a chest of drawers with a mirror. Models of mini-hallways are straight and angular. Some take up very little space - 45 cm from the corner.
Mini hallways for the corridor
If the space for storing things in the apartment is really bad, you can use the space above the door by making something like a mezzanine there. The sensations upon entering will be strange, but there is no time for subtleties.
If the area is a little larger, you can add a closet. It won't be superfluous at all. It’s also nice to have a bench that you can sit on and put on/take off your shoes. An open shelf is desirable for hats; a spacious drawer is desirable for gloves, scarves and other similar items. Moreover, so that things in the box do not get confused and mixed, it is better to divide it into sections.
A slightly larger corridor can also accommodate a closet
If there is still free space, place a shoe rack. It can be in the form of a narrow chest of drawers with folding drawers or in the form of a bedside table with inclined wire shelves. Both options are not bad. This arrangement can hardly be called compact hallways in the corridor, but it is not a super large set.
Also note that the furniture in the hallway can be angular. There is usually a closet in the corner, but you can put a hanger or chest of drawers there and hang a mirror above them. This option - with a corner chest of drawers - is definitely for modular-type hallways. You won't find this in ready-made versions.
Corner hallway makes efficient use of space
Please note that the corner hallway can also be of the “mini” category. If you only have a free corner between two doorways and the free walls are no more than a meter in size, consider installing a radial corner hallway. They are made only with sliding/sliding doors or without them at all.
Radial hallways from the “mini” category
The bad news is that radial furniture is not an economical option. It is made to order. You won't find it in ready-made or modular categories.
Pros and cons of compact hallways
Small and laconic hallways look truly modern. Mini-kits are especially attractive, even if they are made from economy-class materials. The simplicity of their selection is also important: a variety of models with different dimensions and design features will help you easily find the right option. In addition, by choosing a small hallway, you can arrange any corridor compactly and practically. The disadvantages of small-sized furniture sets include their small capacity. To select the correct products, owners need to accurately measure the corridor being installed and determine the permissible dimensions of the hallway. After all, it should not interfere with the ease of movement of household members, and must ensure the convenience of changing clothes for the owners before going out and after coming home.
The main attributes of a small hallway and their dimensions
When choosing suitable furniture for a small hallway-hallway, preference should be given to combined products. For example, a banquette with a hanger and a shelf for hats. Taking into account the products that they will store in this part of the apartment will also help to determine which elements of the hallway set the owners need:
- for outerwear, accessories, hats and shoes: a wardrobe with all possible compartments or a separate hanger with a shelf and a shoe rack;
- for gloves, scarves: a small chest of drawers or a special compartment of a bench (hanger);
- for bags: an ottoman (banquette) or a spacious hanger with hidden compartments (under the seat).
Separately, it is worth considering the possibility of installing auxiliary shelves and mezzanines. Owners also need to think about whether they will need a separate mirror or can get by with a mirrored cabinet door.
The dimensions of the furniture to be removed should be small and leave sufficiently free passage in the corridor.
Wardrobe and built-in furniture
Since a hinged cabinet will take up a lot of space in a small corridor, a reasonable solution would be to replace it with a modern wardrobe. A spacious model can be straight, if the hallway immediately turns into a corridor, or corner, if the hallway is a small rectangle or square, turning into a narrow corridor. For a small wardrobe, it would be appropriate to be filled with a number of shelves, compartments with a microlift, and drawers. A large closet may additionally include basket compartments, hangers for belts and ties. A model with external shelves will be convenient: they are suitable for storing keys, bags and various decor. If there is a niche in the hallway or corridor, it is recommended to choose built-in wardrobes. Also in this niche, the owners can place a small hanging hanger, framed by a pair of cabinets. At the bottom it is recommended to place a large bench with an internal compartment for storing shoes.
Mezzanines and shelves
Additional mezzanines above interior and entrance doors used to be very popular in small panel apartments. Now it is recommended to place mezzanines not in narrow passages, but in a large niche or recess above the doors (with a width of about 1.5-2 m) or immediately choose cabinets with mezzanines. Such a large addition will not stand out and will allow you to compactly store out-of-season items or any other items. Shelves in small hallways can be placed above a chest of drawers and a hanger. A long shelf allows you to conveniently store hats, scarves and gloves. At the same time, its unusual location will eliminate the problem of excessive cluttering of the central part of the walls in the corridor. If desired, owners can replace one long shelf with three short ones located one below the other (possibly with a slight offset). This composition is suitable for storing combs, gloves, and perfumes.
Shoe maker
A free-standing shoe rack should be located as close to the door as possible. It is recommended to select the optimal model for storing shoes according to their specifics and design. Thus, in modern and high-tech styles, modern plastic or wooden products with numerous shelves or shoe racks with mesh shelves would be appropriate. For loft and classics, it is recommended to select products with forged decorative elements. For other styles, wooden or MDF models with foldout compartments are quite suitable. Before purchasing the shoe rack you like, be sure to calculate the permissible dimensions of the product. Furniture located near the front door should not interfere with free entry into the home or convenient passage along the corridor.
Many modern shoe racks have small external dimensions and are very similar to chests of drawers. Such models with a slight depth are complemented by numerous angled compartments where you can conveniently place a large number of shoes.
Choosing a pouf or banquette
In a stylish hallway that is already equipped with a spacious shoe rack, it is recommended to additionally install a small ottoman. It will allow owners to conveniently change shoes and will not take up much space in the small front room. Poufs with a seat size of about 0.8-1 m are becoming increasingly popular. They can look like a bench or be equipped with an internal compartment for storing shoes. Poufs made of wood look original and unusual, complemented by 2-3 empty compartments at the bottom. In these compartments you can install small baskets for storing shoes. As for a full-fledged banquette, it is recommended to choose narrow models that take up minimal space. The seat in them can be about 1.2 meters or more in length. Due to these parameters, you can conveniently store any shoes inside the bench. A banquette with open shelves and a closed shoe rack will look very attractive in a small hallway.
Wall or standing hangers
The choice of a hanging or floor hanger should be based entirely on the space not allocated for it and the design style of a small corridor. In a small hallway, the best solution would be to install a floor model combined with a banquette. Such a module will be convenient, multifunctional and suitable for Khrushchev and other small apartments. Hanging hangers can add both simplicity and greater luxury and elegance to the finished interior. For example, in Provence, wooden hanging hangers painted white would be appropriate. But forged hangers (combined with a banquette or not) will be a smart addition to a loft or classic. In a modern and urban interior, you can also use full-fledged models from Ikea. Fully open hangers from Ikea are complemented by several pull-out baskets and shelves for storing shoes. This option, with its small dimensions, allows you to practically arrange even the smallest corridor.
Don't forget about mirrors
The presence of a mirror door on a cabinet installed in the hallway eliminates the need to install a separate mirror. But it is with the help of such an element that you can create an unusual stylization of a tiny hallway. The most unusual options for the location and models of mirrors themselves include:
- one small hanging mirror;
It can be a unique addition to a mirrored cabinet door. For example, such a product can be placed above a shelf, table or chest of drawers, and complemented with neat lighting. If a mirror on the closet allows you to evaluate your appearance before going out, then a small mirror will allow you to carefully put on your makeup or comb your hair.
- a pair of different sizes;
Owners can hang one small mirror above a chest of drawers or a small table, and install or mount a large full-length mirror opposite it. Such a composition will look unusual and interesting.
- one large mirror.
An original hanging mirror or a free-standing mirror in a frame with legs will allow owners to easily tidy themselves up before going out and evaluate their chosen outfits. In addition, large mirrors will visually increase the area of the corridor.
How to find furniture for a small hallway or hallway
One of the most “exploited” places in the apartment is the hallway. This is the place that the first person sees when entering an apartment or house. The hallway gives the first impression of your home. Therefore, you need to pay attention to the design. In old-style apartments there is not even such a thing as an entrance hall. There is only a corridor. This is what they use as a room in which they undress and dress. Only small-sized, specially selected furniture will fit into such a space.
Small hallways in the corridor - convenience and functionality
In this usually small room, seasonal clothes are stored, and sometimes out-of-season clothes; shoes and outerwear are left here. And that’s why we also need to take care of functionality and convenience. If you consider that the hallway area in standard apartments is far from inflated, it becomes clear that the task ahead will not be easy. There are three possibilities to equip small hallways in the corridor. Let's talk about each in more detail.
Custom hallway
Ordering the manufacture of furniture for the hallway according to your dimensions and requirements is a wonderful option, which, if ordered correctly, will allow you to optimally use the available space. You can order the style you need - Japanese, loft with craquelure, Versailles, etc.
Ordering a hallway is a good option, but it costs money
The downside is that the cost of such furniture is quite high and you have to wait several weeks, or maybe several months, for the furniture to be made. There is another pitfall - choosing a company. If you have experience - you have already placed an order and the quality suits you, or you have recommendations from friends/acquaintances, everything is easier. Otherwise, you will have to hope that your instinct will not let you down.
Ready kit
This is a budget option - small-sized hallways in the corridor sometimes cost not eight thousand (but there are also much more expensive ones, it all depends on the size and composition of the furniture included). Factories produce a number of ready-made sets of cabinet furniture for small hallways. They usually include a cabinet with a mirror, a hanger, and a wardrobe with hinged or sliding doors can be added. They are available in assembled form on the windows of furniture stores; they will bring you exactly the same one, but in the form of planks. You can also pay for assembly or assemble it yourself.
Ready-made small-sized hallways in the corridor
The advantage is that you can get such furniture within a day. They saw, they paid, they bought. The kit will be delivered to you on the same day or the next. Cons: standard design, fixed color, design, inability to change anything to suit your tastes.
Modular hallway
This is also ready-made furniture, the only difference is that the factory produces a line of furniture in the same style. All elements are combined in size, style, color. For example, several open hangers of different widths/heights, with slightly different designs. There are several cabinets of different sizes, with one or two doors, with and without drawers, with mirrors of different shapes. Several cabinets, straight and corner, differing in size, type of door opening, and the presence/absence of a mirror on the facade. Several bedside tables, shoe racks, chests of drawers, benches. And all this is combined with each other.
Sample set of modular hallway
From these elements, like from a construction set, you can assemble a hallway of the size and composition you need. Without any restrictions. If you want two hangers, that’s your right. All you need is a wardrobe and a banquette - that's also welcome. From such a set small-sized hallways can be assembled into a corridor to suit any size and desire. All this is available in finished form (packed planks) in the warehouse. Several such packages with selected fragments will be delivered to you.
Modular hallways allow you to select the components you need
Any functionality and size
A traditional hallway set contains a small wardrobe, a cabinet with a mirror and a hanger
Variations on a theme
Not a bad option and inexpensive. The furniture is manufactured at the factory and consists of pieces of the same shape and size, which reduces the cost of its production. That’s why modular hallways are inexpensive. In addition, popular lines can be available in several colors. You can even take elements of different colors. If that's what you want...
Materials
Suitable materials from which modern hallways are made should be selected based on their appearance and the created design style of the corridor. Because in a limited space, even a small cabinet or chest of drawers will attract a lot of attention. Each of the materials used will correspond to different types of directions:
- natural wood;
Solid wood furniture sets are perfect for classics and other restrained styles. Also suitable for loft and country.
- furniture made from derived wood materials (MDF, fiberboard, chipboard);
Supplemented with special wood-look films, the products will be appropriate in classic, urban or modern styles. Dark models can be used for modern, minimalism or hi-tech.
- plastic + metal.
Sets made from such materials can be found among designer products and in Ikea catalogs. Non-standard models with glossy and matte facades (or sides) will be appropriate in urban, modern, high-tech and modern styles.
Original hallways, complemented by forged elements, will add originality and sophistication to the interior. But they should be used only for loft and classics (in white they are also suitable for Provence).
Small hallways in the economy class corridor: photo
Ornament makes otherwise ordinary furniture interesting
A large number of cabinets can be useful in a small apartment
Hallways for small apartments in a modern style. Everything seems to be the same, but it looks different
This is only an individual order... and not everyone can do it
Laconic design fits into any strict style
Play with color...
For active youth and those who are not afraid of experiments
Two colors look clearly more interesting
Modern tendencies
Compact hanger - you can hang more than one or two things
Color solutions
In order for the arrangement of a small-sized corridor to be both stylish and practical, special attention should be paid to the created color scheme. The most popular options include:
- light decoration + light or dark hallway;
White or light cream hallway design is perfect for installing a light or dark hallway. But it’s worth remembering: a visual increase in space due to light colors will require frequent cleaning of the front room from debris and dust.
- neutral finish + light or dark hallway;
Cream, light coffee or sand finishes will look great in any hallway. And besides, it can be supplemented with non-standard inserts for brick or wood.
- warm light finish + dark hallway;
A milky or light coffee color of wallpaper or paint in the hallway will set off dark furniture and smooth out its gloom. For such a “backdrop”, both popular wenge-colored furniture and black furniture are suitable.
- light or neutral finish + warm hallway.
A light brown hallway will look good in a bright hallway. It will easily emphasize comfort and create a cozy homely atmosphere.
Design options for a small hallway of different shapes
Traditionally, hallways are built in the form of squares or elongated corridors. Let's find out what interior design methods designers offer. Then you can discuss non-standard forms and their setting.
Square
In a square hallway, space is distributed more ergonomically. On one wall there is a place for a hanger with hooks, right under it you can put a shelf for shoes, and next to it there is a bedside table with a mirror. A wardrobe will fit on the other free side.
Designers make furniture as practical as possible; for a square room you can choose a functional wardrobe
Narrow rectangle
A narrow corridor involves using the space along one wall and the space near the doors. Storage systems should be as shallow and elongated as possible.
The mirror is hung on the wall, chests of drawers are either very narrow or replaced with long shelves
Custom shape
For non-standard shapes, equally non-standard solutions are found. As an option, furniture is made to order for each specific hallway.
For such options, radius and corner wardrobes are provided
Features of making furniture to order or with your own hands
To properly arrange the corridor, you need to clearly plan its furnishings and come up with models of new furniture. So, owners will be able to equip the hallway easily and without errors. Making furniture to order or with your own hands should include the following preparation steps:
- Drawing up an approximate visualization of the finished interior (for ease of selection of models and style).
- Calculation of the permissible dimensions of furniture that will be installed in the hallway.
- Selection of the best materials and accessories for the manufacture of a new furniture set for the hallway.
Whenever possible, the design should be modular. Such models may in the future be “assembled” in a different order, which will ensure ease of moving individual blocks and achieving maximum ease of use of this headset.
Types of hallways
Open
There are no wardrobes. Clothes are stored directly on open hangers or hangers. Under the hanger there is often a bench where you can sit to change shoes or talk on the phone. There are niches under the bench where shoes are placed. They can be open or closed. You can make shelves and mezzanines to store things. This type of hallway is suitable for long and square corridors.
An open storage system is placed near the front door or in a shallow niche
Some disadvantage is the requirement to pay a lot of attention to them during cleaning, otherwise the room will very quickly become untidy and cluttered.
Closed
Almost all things in them are in closets. You immediately get the impression of a tidy room, nothing hangs or protrudes, there are smooth surfaces everywhere. You can place a chair or ottoman to talk on the phone.
Closed storage system in the hallway, designed in the spirit of minimalism
It is much easier to care for such hallways. The difficulty lies in choosing furniture. In order for the latter to fit perfectly into the room, it has to be ordered, however, there are many standard options that are acceptable for most.